Swimmer&#39;s buoy



April 1, 1930- w. R. DENBO 1,752,969

SWIMMERS BUOY Filed July 12, 1928 I INVENTOR. misc/1 R Denbo,

A TTORNE Y.

Patented Apr. 1, 1930 UNITED STATES WILSON R. DENBO, OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN swIMMERs uoY' Application filed July 12,

This invention relates to swimmers buoys and is particularly adapted to the use of persons learning to swim, and its primary object is to provide a swimmers buoy which will support the body of a person inwater by applying buoyancy to the body in approximately the same horizontal plane as the lungs of the user while swimming, which resultsin a more eflicient support of the body in the water.

A further object of the invention is to so construct a swinimers buoy that it will offer no resistance to the water in the progress therethrough of the swimmer.

A further object of-the invention is to so construct a swimmers buoy that it may be readily used with or incorporated in an ordinary bathing suit.

A still further object of the invention is to so construct a swimmers buoy of the character indicated that it may be readily inflated or deflated by the user while in the water.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following detailed description thereof taken together with the drawings, in

which: I

Figure 1 shows the improved swimmers buoy as inflated and properly positioned on and secured to the body of the swimmer.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the swimming buoy'per se together with the securing belt and collar strap.

Figure 3 is a view of one of the wings of the securing belt showing a flap provided with buttons for securing one of the buoy sacks thereto, parts being broken away.

Figure 4 is a view of one of the wings of the securing belt showing a strip of the belt material stitched thereto and overlying one of the sacks for securing the sacks to the belt.

Like characters of reference on the drawings indicate like parts of the structure through the several figures thereof, 10 ind1- cates the buoy sacks, one of which is deslgned to be disposed under each ofthe arm pits of the wearer as shown in Figure 1. The sacks 10 are provided with communicating tube 11 for inflating or deflating the sacks through inflation tube 12 which carries at its upper 1928: I serial no: 292,200.

end mouth piece 13,-in which is located a' suitable check valve to prevent theescap'e'of air from the sacks when inflated.-

Collar strap 14 provided witlrbiickle15 is provided for" securing inflation awe 1 2 in"' such position, that the wearer of the buoyca'n readily introduce the mouth piece 13 into the mouth and inflate the sacks 10 while using the buoy in the water. 16 are substantially. diamondshaped wings which may be made of? any suitable material and are provided with rear adjustable belt strap 17 and front adjustable strap 18 for securing the device upon the body. A

The sacks 10 may be positioned upon the body as shown in Figure 1 with the belt structure placed over the sacks and securing the sacks to the body by means of the belt straps 17 and 18. If desired the wings 16 may be provided with a flap 19 stitched to the wings" 16 on one of its sides and buttoned as indicated at 20, Figure 3, or the belt wings may have a strip of the material of which the wing is made stitched to the wing, forming a tube 21 open at its ends for the reception of the*' sacks 10 therein. The buoy per se may be made of any suitable material which is impervious to water, such as rubber, and the belt structure may be made ofany suitable material such as bathing suits are generally' made of.

The buoy sacks 10 are preferably made of a diameter of from two and one-half to three inches, so that the front ends thereof are completely covered by the shoulders of the wearer, J in order that the end of the tube will not im- 7 pede the progress of the swimmer in the water. The buoy sacks however, may be of smaller diameter. for the use of small persons, such as children.

From the foregoing it will be readily seen that the improved swimmers buoy may be used under varying conditions, and will provide the maximum amount of buoyancy to the body of the swimmer with the minimum amount of air.

It will be perfectly apparent that the device will function as a swimmers buoy or could very readily and quickly be secured to the bodyin case of emergency as a life preserver.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A swimmers buoy comprising spaced apart Wings, a sack secured to each of the Wings, flexible communicating means between the sacks, adjusting means connecting the wings at the back and adjusting means connecting the wings atthe front When the buoy is secured to the body of a person.

2. A swimmers buoy comprising spaced apart wings, air tubes secured to the Wings, an adjusting strap connecting the wings at the rear and an adjusting strap connecting the wings at the front of the buoy for definitely positioning the tubes beneath the arm pits and in longitudinal alignment of the body of the wearer.

In testimony whereof Ihave hereunto set m hand. y WILSON R. DENBO. 

